The Cleaner has developed cult following and an affinity with Moonee Valley, he seems to grow another leg when he gets to his favourite haunt, the Valley.

There he was again on Saturday, freewheeling along in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, nothing was taking any ground from him, nor did he ever look like being beaten once he reached the lead, as he usually does.

Whether he is just pure and simply a miler is a matter for conjecture, he was beaten in the Cox Plate last year when he failed at the trip of 2040 metres.

Not a great deal notice should be taken from Saturday’s race, it was 1600 metres and hardly a resemblance of what to expect in the Cox Plate.

The favourite, Contributer, was very disappointing, at no stage of the race did he ever look a chance, he was running fifth for the entire trip, he will need to improve in a hurry if he is going to win a race this spring.

While Foreteller looks a light of other days he did little either, he is a nine year old and sadly the best of him appears to be long gone.

Mourinho won well at Caulfield and has won at Moonee Valley, but was never sighted on Saturday finishing sixth.

It was all about The Cleaner, thank goodness we had him there, the highlight of the program.

The Cleaner at the Valley

There is no shortage of quality about, as was seen at Moonee Valley yesterday, after the inaugural running of the Atlantic Jewel Stakes, with the three best fillies in the race filling the placings.

Stay With Me had the wood on Pasadena Girl, this time, since their first meeting at Flemington back in February when Stay With Me raced greenly and didn’t handle the straight at all well.

When the Sires Produce Stakes winner, Jameka, is included in the mix, plus the unbeaten Alaskan Rose and Gai’s impressive Furious Stakes winner, Speak Fondly, there is sure to be some juggling in the market.

Both Stay With Me and Pasadena Girl finished off strongly from the rear of the field, a slight leaning to the latter as she carried 2.5 kg than the winner, and having not raced since winning at Randwick in April, she will be better for the run.

An interesting factor, both are from daughters of Redoute’s Choice, Stay With Me claimed a lot of attention when she race at Flemington where there were plenty clicking of cameras, as she is the first foal of the outstanding race filly, Miss Finland.

In hindsight the best race mares don’t necessarily produce the best race progeny, in the case of Miss Finland, she may be the exception.

Stay With Me winning the Atlantic Jewel Stakes

The passing of Bart Cummings touched a lot of people besides his devoted family; there were those that had served him for the majority of their lives.

Bart was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth; he was just a knock about kid who never had visions of becoming a horse trainer.

There were no airs or graces about him, it is doubtful if he had any great ambitions as he was growing up.

His dad, Jim, had experienced those tough times of the depression years of the mid-twenties, until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

Ultimately Jim had his taste of success, but much later than he would have expected when he trained for the Lee brothers, the successful owners of Comic Court, Comedy Prince, St Comedy and Gay Comedy, all stakes winners from the same dam, Witty Maid.

Bart finally joined his father in the stable; he was entrusted to bring Comic Court over for the Melbourne Cup.

The horse was an unknown quantity over the two miles (3200 metres), as so many horses are untested at the distance, Jack Purtell was approached to ride Comic Court, but he declined preferring the favourite Alister, the ride was finally accepted by the Adelaide rider, Pat Glennon.

It was among the bravest rides seen in a Melbourne Cup, Comic Court was lumbered with 9 stone 5 pounds (59.5 kg), Glennon set the horse alight with 7 furlongs (1400 metres) to run, the result was never in doubt thereafter, the winning margin was 3 lengths.

When Comic Court retired to stud two years later, the Lee brothers bowed out of racing, and Jim had just about had enough, it was Bart now out on his own.

Bart remained in Adelaide, rarely visiting Melbourne over the next decade, mainly for one reason, he simply never had the horses to compete here.

Finally there was light at the end of the tunnel in the form of the Lee brothers returning to the racing scene, renewing the owner trainer partnership with Sometime, a very capable racehorse.

Bart brought Sometime to Melbourne with the view of winning one of the major Spring Cups, however, he fell foul of the stewards, the horse was transferred to the care of Les Patterson, going on to win the Caulfield Stakes and the Caulfield Cup in 1963, with Sometime starting favourite.

Bart returned to training with a vengeance, the turning point was the win of Light Fingers in the Melbourne Cup of 1965, followed by Galilee 1966, and Red Handed in 1967.

His record of training 12 Melbourne Cup winners, seven Caulfield Cups, five Cox Plates, four Golden Slippers, five Doncasters, and five A J C Derbies, are among his 268 Group 1 successes, a record that will surely stand the test of time.

Those that have experienced the trip through the Bart Cummings era have been privileged; there will be no repeat of his record.

The greatest horse trainer the world has known, records speak volumes for an Icon of the Turf.

Bart Cummings

Michael Moroney was singing the praises of his filly, Alaskan Rose, after an impressive win in the Montague Tree Handicap at Caulfield.

And rightly so, she was always poised behind the leader, Giulietta, for much of the race, and was drawing right away, at least she will get the 1600 metres (mile), of the Thousand Guineas.

She has graduated from a mid week win at Sandown and has developed into a highly promising filly, with a bright spring in the offering.

She will now be freshened up with a break of a month before she reappears; again her immediate target is the Thousand Guineas Prelude, followed by the Thousand Guineas.

Alaskan Rose - A Guineas aspirant

Michael Moroney rates her highly; among the best fillies he has trained, drawing a comparison between her and Happy And You Know It, a four tine Group 1 success.

“This filly could be as good, she is improving all the time, she hasn’t peaked yet, we are very pleased with her at present, and she will continue to improve.”

“She’s ready now condition wise too, I think it is the time to regroup and head on to her grand final,” said Moroney.

Steven Arnold said “she had a good blow after the race, she raced relaxed and had the best turn of foot in the race.”

The return to scale

Ready For Victory is heading for Group status after a promising first up run since a spell in the McNiel Stakes at Caulfield.

Without taking any credit from the winner, Gold Symphony, the Mick Price trained colt is likely to take great benefit from the outing and be much fitter the next time he steps out.

There is no doubt that he is a good colt, he was purchased with the view of stud potential, he has the pedigree beyond question but is yet to settle down to a relaxing racing mode.

He won at his very first start back in March, at Flemington, before heading off to Sydney for the Golden Slipper Stakes.

He should have certainly been Stakes placed now except for running off the course at the home turn and coming down the outside in the Golden Slipper, and still finished up a close fourth.

The Golden Rose, to be run at Randwick, is on Saturday week, is cutting it a bit fine, the Guineas looks the best way to go.

The Guineas would appeal to the owners as the colt, racing in the ownership Eliza Park International, would go to stud in Victoria.Ready For Victory after winning at Flemington